Dispenser



Feb. 21, 19212,. 1,660,035

f. w. FITCH DISPENSER Filed Feb. '7, 1927 Patented Feb. 2l, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

:man w.` Irren, or Das nomas, Iowa.

marmara.

Application led February 7, 1927. Serial No. 188350.

My invention has to do in a general way, with an apparatus for dispensing a product from a colla sible tube. In its embodiment as here disc osed, itis my purpose to provide a dis enserqof simple and eicient construction or supporting a tube of the type adapted to contain soap or the like, which apparatus has o rating parts whereby the tube may be co lapsed for the pur ose of forcing the contents therefrom in re ltively small quantities.

More particularly it is my object to provide anovel and convenient means for receivin and holding a tube, the device being a apted for quick and easy manipulation for inserting or removing the tube and havin an efficient means for compressing the tu e for forcing the contents therefrom.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the Vconstruction, ar rangement and combination of the varlous parts of my device, whereby the'ob'ects contemplated are attained, as hereina er more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a dispenser embodying a form of my invention.

Figure 2, is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3, is a detail sectional Vvlew taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4, is a front elevation of the dispenser, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section for illustrating certain features of the tube collapsing mechanism. y

Figure 5, is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and Figure 6, is a view similar to that of Figure 5 of a slightly modified form of my dispenser.

My dispenser comprises a base indicated generally in the accompanying drawings `the reference character A and a case The base comprises a rigid base member 10 having on its front surface at its side edges opposite parallel forwardly projecting an es 12. At its back the base has at its si eedges the rearwardly extending flan es 14.

T e flanges 14 are formed at their rear edges with laterally projecting flanges 16 terminating in the rearwardly inclined flanges 18. These flanges all preferably exend entirely around the periphery of the ase.

Extending downwardly from the rear edge of the upper flange 18 is a bifurcated ear 20. Likewise at its rear edge the lower flange 18 has an upwardly 22 formed with the key hole slot 24.

Near the lower end of the base A is a forwardly projecting supporting shelf 26. The case A has the front wall 28, side walls 30 and top wall 32 and is opened at its lower end and back. The top wall and front wall vare preferably formed with a central slightly channeled portion 34 which serves as a reinforcing means.

The channel shaped portion 34 of the Wall 28 also serves to fit and hold in place the tube 36. The side walls 3() are provided at their rear edges with opposite inwardly opening channels 38 as shown for example in Figure 5.

For fastening the case on the base I provide the following means. On the rear face of the base member 10, I- mount two spring members 40 by means of pivot pins or rivets 39 as shown inv Figure 5. The central parts of the springs 40 lit snugly agalnst the base member l() andthe ends thereof are inclined normally outwardly and away from the base member 10 as clearly shown in that figure.

When the springs 40 are in horizontal position, they project laterally far enough Ato extend through suitable elongated slots 42 in the flanges14, these slots being illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 and to extend into the channels 38.

I n installing the case on the base, the sprlngs v40 are swung to position where the ends do not project through the slots 42.V

The case isplaced in a walls overlappin the flanges 14, and t e s rings 40 are then rotated until their endg project through the slots 42 and into the channels 38 of -the case. ',I'hecase then rests on the shelf 26 and will be then snugly held in place.

O11 the inner face of the front wall 28 of the case B near the side ed es thereof, there are provided the longituinally arranged lposition with its side ase member 10 and extending ear 'toothed tracks or rack bars 44. The side neck on the tube projects downwardly.

vwalls 30 ofthe case B are provided with vertically elongated slots around the edges of which are the' outwardly projecting flanges 46. v

A transverse shaft 47v is extended across the casing with one end received in one of the slots 45, the other end projecting through the other slot 45 as illustrated in Figure 5. One end of the shaft 47 is provided with a Wing nut 48 which is fastened to the shaft by a pin 49 as shown in Figure 4.

Fixed on the shaft '47 in mesh with the rack bars 44, are pinions 50 which are located adjacent to the respective sides of the casing vfor thus preventing undue lengthwise movement of the shaft 47. The shaft 47 has rotatably mounted on it a roller 52, as shown for instance in Figures 2, 4 and 5, which is of such length as to project snugly but withlout friction for a short distance into the channel formed by thebase member 10 and its flanges l2 as perhaps best shown in Figure 5.-

It will be observed thatby rotating the wing nut 48, the shaft 47 will be rotated for thus rotating the pinions 50 and causing the shaft and the roller carried thereby to travel upwardly or downwardly in the casing.

Ordinarily before the beginning of t e use of the device, the parts are adjusted until the roller is at the top of the casing as shown in dotted lines (Figur-e 2).

The shelf member 26 1s provided with a hole 54 from which a tubular neck 56 extends upwardly and a tubular discharge tube 58 The neck 56 may be formed on opposite sides with the bayonet joint slots 60. It could, of course, be threaded. The collapsible tube 36 may have the neck 62 provided with pins 64 to coact with bayonet joint slots 60.

t will, of course, be understood that the 36 and the neck 56 might have coasting screw threads. A closure def vice for the lower end of the discharge tube 58 includes a spring1 arm ,66 pivoted at 68 (see Figure 2) on t e base A. At the free end of the arm 66 is a closure member 70 adapted to lit over the vlower end of the tube 58 and close the same.

The outer end ofthespring arm 66 may be grasped and the arm 66 sprun and moved Y the cosure mem?,

on its pivot for -removin ber 76 from the lower en of the tube 58.

. the' case l I will now describe the practical assem-r.vl

per make Aa satisfactory collapsin of the tube, and connects the neck of the tu e 36 with the neck 56 on the shelf 26 of the base A. The case B is then mounted on the base A by means of the springs 40 in the manner already described.

It will be understood that the roller 52 should be adjusted to the top of the case before the case is mounted on the base. The closure member 7 0 should be adjusted to closed position. The entire dispenser is then hung on the screws v7 2 by slipping the lower part of the slot 24 over'the lower screw `and lowering the dispenser until the shanks of the screws are received in the narrow partvo the slot of the ear 22 and between the arms of the bifurcated ear 20 respectively.

The dispenser'is then lowered ready for use. When a barber or other person desires to use a quantity of soap from the container, he swings the spring arm 66 around to position vwhere the closure element 70 is clear of the discharge tube 58.- He then clasps the wing nut 48 and rotates it 'to cause the pinions 50 to travel down ,the racks 44 whereupon the roller 52 will roll down the tube 36, flattening the tube asillustrated in Figure 2 and forcing the .contents of the tube downwardly and out through the discharge tube 58. A spring 37 prevents the upper end of the tube from following the roller. r 4\ The. amount of soap lapsible tube may, o \course, be whatever is desired. When the tjubehas been entirely flattened and its contents discharged. it will be seen that afresh tube 36 may be very conveniently and easily substituted for the used one.

The springs 40 are sim ly rotated on their pivots 39 until their en s clear the channel shaped member 38 whereupon the casefcan be removed from the base. It may he noted in this connection, that the springs 40 may be bevelledj as at 73 for` l.more .convenient manipulations..4 After thefoase f has been removed, the ein ty1tube86 may be discharged from the neck 56 andra full tube substituted therefor. The roller52 is then adj-usted to the top of` B and the case B may be again assembled on the base A whereupon the dispenseris ready for use for a period, as long aszthe contentsof the collapsible tube Vmay ast.

In Figure 6 I have shown a'slightly modified form of A instead of ing provided on the front face of its portion 10 with the anges 12 and the channel between them with its right angledwalls, is provided with the flangesA 12and a lchannel 76 which is concave from side to side and whicl1 fits the ordinary tube"86.

taken from the colmgeinvention in which the base 0ne,diiculty arises in the attempt4 to device for dispensing the contents of a collapsible tube, because tubes vary somewhat in material and thick- DESS.

travels down the tube it will normally {iatten the tube against the base in such manner as to force all of the contents downwardly. If there should be a thickened portion on the tube on account of a drop of solder or -for any other reason, some diiiculty might occurif the parts were all rigidly connected.l

against the base, a simple and convenientand eicient construction for allowing fory variation inthe thickness of the tube.

The case B of the modified form of the device is the same as the case B already described except that instead of the roller 52 on the shaft 47, there is provided, a ball 78. Otherwise the constructlon and operation of the parts of the modified ldevice shown in Figure 6 are substantially the same as the construction and operation `of the device I have already descrlbed.

A dispenser of this kind has a number of important advanta es.v It is small and neat. It can be used for ispensing from collapsible tubes. It can be convemently mounted upon any support where two spaced headed members can be rovided. It is so constructed thatit is easily7 mani ula-ted for inserting or removing the soap tu es. v

As a result of many experiments 'I- have found that the kind of apparatus here shown for collapsing the tube 1s eicient as well as -being simple and inexpensive. I believev that the roller 52 or ball 78 should be free to rotate on the shaft rather than be fixed thereto.

It will be understood that the drawings and description herein are intended to illustrate and explain forms in which my invention may be practically used but it is not my intention to limit myself to the particular It will be seen that when the roller 52 lt'orms here shown but .it is my purpose to cover by my claims any other forms either in the way of modifications or the use of equivalent features which may be easily included within the scope of such claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. vIn a dispenser means for supporting a collapsible tube in dischargin position 1ncluding a substantially rigid ase, a casin carrying a rotary element, means for yiel ingl mounting said casing on said base and mec anism for imparting movement to the rotary member for causing it to travel for squeezing the tube between the rotary member and the base.

2. In a dispenser, a supporting member, a second member yieldingly-mounted upon the supporting member and means carried by the second member for collapsing a tube against said supporting member for ejecting the contents of the tube.

3. In' a dispenser, a base having at its lower end a shelf for supporting a collapsible tube, a case, means for yieldingly mounting the case on the base, a rotary member carried by the base and means for actuating said rota member for causing it to engage a tu e so mounted at the closed end of the tube and to move toward the discharge end of the tube for collapsing the tube and ejecting the contents thereof.

4. In a dispenser, a base having side flanges, a case mounted on said base and having members overlapping said side anges and provided wit inwardly o ening channels, said side flanges having s ots, a spring member pivoted on the base and havlngends adapted to pass through said slots and into said channels for yieldingly securing the case to the base, a shaft mounted to slide -on said case and projected at one end through said case, a roller on said shaft within said case, means outside of the case for imparting rotation to said shaft.

5. In a dispenser, a supporting base element, a yieldingly mounted casing element on thev base,'a rotary device sup rted on one' of said elements for travel engthwise thereof for collapsing a paste tube against the other of said elements.

D es Moines, Iowa, January 20, 1927.

FRED W. FITCH. 

